NCMS In Touch with Congressional Leaders on Health Reform

The North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) was in Washington, DC, yesterday speaking with Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle about health reform. In addition, the NCMS, on behalf of its members, businesses, hospitals, health systems and the state’s largest health insurer, recently wrote to our state’s Congressional delegation outlining several key points to consider as they determine how to improve our health insurance system.

The following items listed are commonly held by all key stakeholders in the health care industry, the letter stated, and asked the legislators that whatever reform plan is adopted:

Ensure that coverage for the more than 500,000 North Carolinians currently covered under ACA plans is maintained or improved;

Provide predictability for North Carolinians, including businesses, consumers and health care providers, by ensuring that the changes are enacted and new health plans are available before the repeal goes into effect;

Adopt provisions soon to stabilize North Carolina’s insurance market in the interim, while waiting for any changes to go into effect;

Protect North Carolina’s ability to provide health coverage by ensuring that federal funds available for that coverage are equitably allocated among the States, not based on historical spending amounts;

Provide that any improvements are focused on maximizing value for all North Carolinians.

“We all agree that the system we currently have under the ACA can and should be improved. We commit to working with you to determine how best to ensure that North Carolinians who have insurance can maintain – and possibly improve – their coverage and that all North Carolinians are able to access affordable, sustainable, quality health coverage,” the letter concluded.